Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to address the issue that the hon. member for Davenport has raised, that is, the sustainable use and development of aquaculture and its relationship with and the manner in which it implicates the natural fish habitat. In this case, it is pink salmon that the hon. member has indicated is at risk, a fact that has been established by the diminution of the pink salmon fish stocks on the west coast.
While I cannot answer in depth with respect to whether it is aquaculture that has been implicated to the largest extent and the general style of aquaculture, I can provide the hon. member with some responses to the questions he has raised. I would invite the member to follow up additionally where the information that has been provided to me has not adequately addressed the questions he has raised.
I say that because the questions that the hon. member for Davenport has raised are very legitimate questions. Against the background of what is happening with respect to the cod stocks on the east coast, certainly these are issues that we have to take very seriously.
Over the last 10 years, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, DFO, has put in place a number of initiatives to promote sustainable development of the aquaculture industry and minimize its potential impacts on the environment and on wild fish stocks. Since launching the program for sustainable aquaculture, the department has stepped up its efforts to reach this objective.
The program for sustainable aquaculture, announced in 2000, is an investment that will enable the aquaculture industry to grow and become one of the jewels of the Canadian economy while allowing the government to ensure that this growth is not achieved to the detriment of our aquatic ecosystems. Aquaculture is an increasingly important activity in Canada and in the rest of the world and offers numerous social and economic opportunities, but I stress that it must not and cannot be at the risk of the natural habitat.
Announced recently was the action plan for pink salmon. I would like to give the details. We have implemented a freshwater monitoring program, conducted in parallel with DFO's traditional pink Pacific salmon stock assessment program. A marine monitoring program has been established, aimed at assessing the frequency and severity of sea lice infection rates among young salmon in the Broughton Archipelago area and gathering data with respect to taking action based on that research.
A strategic management approach for aquaculture sites in particular has been worked out with the British Columbia government. This program is being monitored in detail. There is also a long term research plan leading to the establishment of the department's research priorities on approaches to sea lice management in that area.
These are just the basic components of the plan. It is my hope that the plan will result in alleviating the kinds of concerns the hon. member has raised.